21s cruise past Robins

Tyler Walker and Stephen McLaughlin were the scorers as Nottingham Forest’s Under 21s recorded a 3-0 win over Bristol City at The City Ground.

Walker scored twice early on to put the visitors on the back foot before McLaughlin added gloss to the scoreline late in the second half.

There were only three minutes on the clock when Walker broke the deadlock, bursting through the City defence before producing a neat finish beyond goalkeeper Jojo Wollacott.

The visitors responded with efforts from Marlet Bishop and Connor Lemonheigh-Evans, but they found themselves 2-0 down on 12 minutes.

Oliver Burke used his pace to get to the byline before firing the ball low across goal.

Walker had time to compose himself at the back post before lashing it high into the net.

The two sides then exchanged chances through Lars Veldwijk and Lemonheigh-Evans, before Walker rose well to meet McLaughlin’s cross before heading the ball wide.

And Veldwijk was involved in Forest’s first chance of the second half, holding off a number of City defenders before playing a through ball for Burke. The winger did well to get round the covering defender but Wollacott came out quickly to smother the danger.

The visitors refused to let the game slip away from them with Tom Fry, Lemonheigh-Evans, Joe Morrell and substitute Lewis Hall all causing problems for Forest’s back line.

And, had Shaquille Hunter not been denied by the post, there could have been a nervy finale for Jimmy Gilligan’s men.

Instead McLaughlin received a pass from Tyler Walker in the 88th minute before driving the ball left-footed into the bottom-right corner, sealing another impressive victory which cemented The Reds’ place at the top of the league.